TJones Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 IMO, they are hoping to find a skeleton or 2 so they can bring a lawsuit against the city, and get a little moolah. Just an opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 Well, boys and girls I just found out a little more about what's going on there at Taft and West Gray. Right now, they are very carefully doing an archeological dig. They are looking for an old Black cemetary, that was supposedly moved years ago, but some are claiming it wasn't actually moved and only the gravestones were.Wasn't that the big dramatic scene from the movie "Poltergeist?" The guy yelling, "They only moved the headstones!" I was way too young when I saw that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rambutan Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 I live on Taft, directly across from the planned site for the new HSPVA. I just want to say that most of the houses that were on the land prior to this construction were a dangerous eyesore. Since the land has been cleared, crime in the neighborhood has decreaced dramatically. I'm talking about repeated car break-ins, and drug dealers on the corner. As far as the claim that demolishing old houses is terrible, I saw at least 5 or 6 of the houses being driven away on trucks, yes the entire houses! So, I can only guess that the ones that were worth saving were saved. All in all, I see this new school as a double good. It gives the school a much-needed new site, as well as contributing to urbal renewal by ensuring that at least that piece of land will not become part of the endless sea of poorly-buit "Lofts" going up all around the 4th Ward and North Montrose area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferronsfunctionals Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 I was hoping for something a little more needed as well. I am still pushing for a big ole Chick Fil A in Midtown or at least somewhere inside the loop. A Dairy Queen could rock too.how about something OTHER than a F***** chain restaurant.....anyone can cook a hamburger or deep fry chicken..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Why you hate chain restraunts so much?Out city has plenty of both chain and local restraunts. Also, they are building a Chic-fil-A in the loop on the feeder of US 59 by Kirby. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happytown Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 wow. glad it is that and not full scale construction prep starting... who's responsible for the dig? do they take volunteers for that sort of thing? would do gruntwork, paperwork, bake cookies even for the fellas/gals... ? really hope they figure it out. demolishing the houses is already terrible.I read somewhere that the dig has an official time limit to produce results. Is that true? If so, when is it up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torvald Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 I read somewhere that the dig has an official time limit to produce results. Is that true? If so, when is it up?i am also curious/interested in this as i ride my bike past it everyday to get to work (see my inquiring posts above). they've dug quite a few trenches over there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torvald Posted November 26, 2005 Share Posted November 26, 2005 i am also curious/interested in this as i ride my bike past it everyday to get to work (see my inquiring posts above). they've dug quite a few trenches over there...so i guess i'll update my post by saying that they spent quite a bit of time going through three of the trenches. now everything is neatly covered and it just looks like a field. since i don't watch local news (sorry) i am wondering if there were any conclusive results or if there is a deadline of some sort that has been announced. i am actually house sitting by the gregory-lincoln school and can see it from here...speaking of graffiti the main "artist" over here (4th ward/taft area) is "graveyard"/"GY" any of his/her tags near the actual taft site were pretty ironic and i have always wondered if it was in reference to the neighborhood lore (that there were some sort burial sites nearby). you notice more tags traveling via bike, i guess. especially since they change so often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted November 26, 2005 Share Posted November 26, 2005 Wow. An urban activist tagger. Who knew? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torvald Posted November 27, 2005 Share Posted November 27, 2005 Wow. An urban activist tagger. Who knew? you'd be surprised in the montrose, 4th ward & warehouse districts there seem to be 2 types of tagging: territorial & editorial. most commentary seems to be reserved for wheatpasting though, which focuses more on signal boxes and less on the side of common and historical buildings and homes. there was one fella a few years ago who littered the heights, montrose and downtown areas (still does) and now has a following large enough to support local art shows, handmade concert posters and silkscreened t-shirts... i bicycle between these areas daily to reach work, home and errands and find that evolution pretty damn interesting. only wish there was an expert needed on such things... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torvald Posted November 28, 2005 Share Posted November 28, 2005 so i guess i'll update my post by saying that they spent quite a bit of time going through three of the trenches. now everything is neatly covered and it just looks like a field. since i don't watch local news (sorry) i am wondering if there were any conclusive results or if there is a deadline of some sort that has been announced. i am actually house sitting by the gregory-lincoln school and can see it from here...i keep updating my own posts on this link and its making me sad! i thought this was just the sort of thing that would interest many folks on this forum. you've got a new HISD development, demolition of old historic homes and the social dynamic involved. then add the archaeological aspect (and other issues depending on the results) that determines whether the structure will even see implementation! anyhow, heard form the fella i was house sitting for that another neighbor involved in a city planning group heard that there was nothing conclusive found on the site. of course that's not the most reliable data but...i think this site is neat so don't think for a moment that i am insulting you folks. if anything, i am certainly spoiled from all of the current and archieved info here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 anyhow, heard form the fella i was house sitting for that another neighbor involved in a city planning group heard that there was nothing conclusive found on the site. of course that's not the most reliable data but...I have to say that it's kind of curious that there hasn't been more mentioned about this in the news (be it print or visual). The site is an excellent one in terms of accessibility and visibility. A large mixed-use development not very different from Post Midtown Square could work, I think. If someone could get it to work (and the site isn't a historic gravesite or something similar), it would really create a nice critical mass of New Urbanism in this area.Now, as for the abandonded building(s) across Gray from that site... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 i keep updating my own posts on this link and its making me sad! i thought this was just the sort of thing that would interest many folks on this forum. you've got a new HISD development, demolition of old historic homes and the social dynamic involved. then add the archaeological aspect (and other issues depending on the results) that determines whether the structure will even see implementation! anyhow, heard form the fella i was house sitting for that another neighbor involved in a city planning group heard that there was nothing conclusive found on the site. of course that's not the most reliable data but...i think this site is neat so don't think for a moment that i am insulting you folks. if anything, i am certainly spoiled from all of the current and archieved info here.torvald, the reason that some of us haven't responded to your posts is that we might not have as much good information as that which you're providing. Many of us are interested in this property and the attendant issues. Because this isn't my corner of the 'hood, I can't keep up with the daily changes which occur there - and the local mass media are of little help.Thanks for keeping us updated on this property. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torvald Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 torvald, the reason that some of us haven't responded to your posts is that we might not have as much good information as that which you're providing. Many of us are interested in this property and the attendant issues. Because this isn't my corner of the 'hood, I can't keep up with the daily changes which occur there - and the local mass media are of little help.Thanks for keeping us updated on this property.that's a very nice thing to say -- i didn't think of it that way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dream Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 there was an article in the paper the other day summarizing the findings of the archealogical dig: nothing found, no civil war cemetary, nothing of any importance.the school is in limbo as the friends of hspva are supposed to be raising 15 million for the school. they say their fundraising has been very slow because of the 2 year hold up of the study. time will tell.dream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 Here's the article.http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/hei...ws/3508016.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt16 Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 What a waste of taxpayer money. It sounds like we spent money looking for an ancient burial ground based on a story passed down from several generations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Settegast Estate Building 200 block of West Gray Ave. Greater Houston Preservation Alliance representatives have met with Houston Independent School District staff members to discuss options for preserving the 1938 Settegast Estate Building in the 200 block of West Gray. Although the Art Deco structure was restored in the 1990s, the building could be demolished when HISD completes the new High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. HISD took the Settegast property by eminent domain and intends to use the building as a construction office for the HSPVA project. Current plans call for the Settegast Estate Building to be demolished for parking when the new school is completed. Streamlined detailing and oversized porthole windows distinguish the structure, which was designed by Moore & Lloyd, the firm of noted Houston architect Harvin C. Moore. The building's fluted, stepped turret is visible from Montrose Boulevard and marks the pivot point where West Gray enters the Freedmen's Town National Register Historic District. The building contains eight storefronts and was the home of Houston's Orange Crush bottling plant from the end of the Depression to the early 1950s. A ghost sign promoting the soft drink is faintly visible on an exterior wall. Work on the seven-acre school site, which is on the edge of the Freedmen's Town district, has generated substantial preservation concerns. HISD has been criticized for demolishing historic houses and removing original brick streets. The most recent controversy resulted from a researcher's discovery of archival evidence suggesting the property contains Civil War-era graves of Union soldiers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rambutan Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Good news! Constrtuction looks like it has begun earnest! There are backhoes and bulldozers parked at the site, and 2 weeks ago, they dug up the soccerfield and demolished the small building to the side of the field. They have dug 3 or 4 feet deep across the whole area (the base of the foundation? yea! I can't wait to convince them to paint a mural on my fence... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telwink Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Neat article. I'm late to respond to this, but nonetheless, here's my contribution .. hehe. I wonder if the ghost sign is still there, or if the bldg was repainted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMan Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I don't think HISD is going to build a new HSPVA campus at this rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmariar Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I'm trying to picture this block... And I'm looking at something that says that, in 2001, Randall Davis was converting an old Henke & Pilot store at 242 West Gray into office space. Is that the same building?EDIT: Ok, found this thread, and know the block now. I hate to see any more of the old Fourth Ward destroyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Great picture Bengiann...really hate to think we will lose another art deco bldg., or a long-standing structure in one of our wards..and for a parking lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 This was one of the buildings that fascinated me most when I moved to Houston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnu Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 a little history from GHPAhttp://www.houstondeco.org/1930s/settegast.htmlthread on it:http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=4739 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithebubba Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 There is an unused art-deco building at the NW corner of Taft and Genessee that stands on HISD land, just south of the Gregory-Lincoln Education Center. That site has been chosen as the spot for the new building to house Carnegie Vanguard High School (they desperately need it, they are currently in an old elementary school building). Four potential site plans have been produced by HISD. Two of them retain and restore this building, two of them do not. There is probably a way to comment on this idea via the HISD web site, but I have not looked at it. http://img9.imagesha.../image029gm.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 http://www.houstondeco.org/1930s/settegast.htmlthat one has been talked about alot, before, somewhere on HAIF. Hope it doesn't fall, with the final decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARK Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Funny, I got that same shot. But, do you see that cop car? He was HISDPD and I spent some time talking to him. (Note: when you have a telephoto lens anywhere near an elementary school, go say Hi to the cop FIRST! ! !) He told me the lot behind it had some nerd guys working on it for two years or so. The theater, I think, is in front of an old cemetery, probably black, maybe, I could be wrong. There, that should be enough disclaimers. This is the lot that the nerd guys were working on. PS, that was a really nice cop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Just curious, what theater are you talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARK Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 It the one above. It is on grey street, but I dont know what it used to be called. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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